The Dubuque Marshallese community celebrated May Day a couple weeks ago (May 27 – 29) with a parade of floats, dances and sports competitions. Maitha Jolet, who is running for Mayor of Likiep, conducted the opening ceremony Saturday afternoon. Remarks were made by Iroij Heletra Hermios, Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanaugh, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque team member Alex Baum, Multicultural Family Center board member John Stewart, Crescent Community Health Center CEO Gary Collin, and Senior High School ELL teacher Cassie McDonald. Many thanks this year to the MFC for donating $3000 in addition to other donations form the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Crescent Community Health Center, Pizza Ranch, Fairway, BVM Sisters, Sisters of St. Frances, Art Roche, Dicks Sporting Goods, and House of China.

This year’s events commemorate 44 years since the signing of the Constitution of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Iroij Hermios of the Ratak Chain spoke about this as well as this year’s theme: Idik tūr eo. Ilo Kajin Majel: Kūr ñan tarinae – idik i tūr (ak kwaḷọk kein tarinae) im kōpooji ñan iien tarinae. This phrase was used by Irooj in times past as a call to war.  The term refers to the process of sharpening fighting spears. When conflict reached a point where fighting was inevitable, men were called to produce their individual bundle of spears (tūr). The spears were made from the oldest and hardest pandanus or coconut trunks through a labor intensive process using coral files. In Jabōnkōnnan, it explains that these types of wood were used because of their tendency to splinter rather than break when used in battle.

When Iroij Hermios deliberated which float should win the top prize, he commented that though they were all very nicely presented, only one in particular stood out for their banner. It not only said “Idik tur eo” but it also explained what it meant “kokbobo ilo bojan”. He said with that the decision was clear beating the other floats including the Subaru towing a boat draped in orange, blue and white manned by boys wearing traditional clothes and other trucks decorated with plenty of beautiful handicrafts (see pictures in the slideshow below).

Kōrā em an Kōl, or KEAK, a Marshallese women’s organization, lead the parade with a nice banner displaying their new logo. They also had water bottles, mugs, key chains and stickers for sale with their new logo: a Marshallese woman weaving ob, a handicraft wall hanging, in front of a Marshallese flag. The women, currently led by Jacklin Jesse, did several dances for the occasion. Though most ri Majel know that the song and dance motions describe traditional practices – it was explained to the American guests how the last dance depicted how to make jekmai (coconut syrup).

Also of particular interest were the remarks made by Cassie McDonald reflecting on the last two years teaching many Marshallese students as the high school ELL teacher. She recognized and wished well to around 20 Marshallese students who graduated this year from Senior and Hempstead High School saying “their love and friendship drives success at school” and “our schools are richer because of our Pacific Islander students.” She also talked about the cultural presentations  brought to the schools last September during Manit Week. The short run educational initiative, Pacific Islander Rising, arranged for storytelling, songs, and interactive activities that got the Islander Club talking about their jowi (clans) and getting hands on experience with raanke ni (cracking open and grating coconut) and ajej (weaving pandanus leaves). At the high school and elementary school, Marshallese students handled aniṃōṇo, shells, coral and canoe models and learned the story of Jebro and the First Sail.  Dubuque Museum and Aquarium shortly thereafter hosted an event celebrating the traditional carving of a Marshallese canoe. Hoover, Audubon, and Marshall Elementary Schools also engaged Pacific Islander Rising, Monsoon Iowa, and the Marshallese community in general throughout the year to support other multicultural celebrations, including a school kemem organized by some of the students for their teachers who had had baby’s birthdays to celebrate. This year’s Constitution Day was not only a celebration of Marshallese history and culture more generally but also of community in particular.